iVillage.com: 9 Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves

Digital Thermometer

Uses: To monitor fever, especially in children Adults can usually diagnose a fever simply by how rundown and icky we feel, so you don’t necessarily need a thermometer. But an inexpensive digital thermometer (about $10 to $15 at drugstores) is essential if you have kids, says Dr. Hopkins. Opt for the type you can read in 10 seconds if you have small children. Don’t use glass thermometers, which contain toxic mercury your child could ingest if the thermometer breaks. For babies younger than three months, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises calling your pediatrician if your child’s temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher. For all other ages, call your doctor if the temperature is 103 degrees or higher or lasts for more than a day or two, says the American Academy of Family Physicians.

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Uses: To soothe a dry tickle or sore throats Cough drops stimulate saliva, which may relieve a dry throat tickle. Any flavor (or any hard candy) will do. (If your tickle is caused by postnasal drip, try diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to dry it up). If you have a sore throat, lozenges with benzocaine will temporarily numb the pain, but you’re probably better off taking a pain medication and/or gargling with 1 teaspoon salt added to 1 cup of warm water a few times a day, says Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., M.D., professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Uses: To monitor fever, especially in children Adults can usually diagnose a fever simply by how rundown and icky we feel, so you don’t necessarily need a thermometer. But an inexpensive digital thermometer (about $10 to $15 at drugstores) is essential if you have kids, says Dr. Hopkins. Opt for the type you can read in 10 seconds if you have small children. Don’t use glass thermometers, which contain toxic mercury your child could ingest if the thermometer breaks. For babies younger than three months, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises calling your pediatrician if your child’s temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher. For all other ages, call your doctor if the temperature is 103 degrees or higher or lasts for more than a day or two, says the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Uses: General body aches, sore throat, headache and fever Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) are essential for easing fever, aches and a sore throat. All three work fine for treating symptoms, but stick with acetaminophen if you have a history of stomach problems or ulcers (it’s less harsh on your stomach). If you have kids, stock up on children’s pain medications, too. “But don’t give kids aspirin [for fever] which has a risk of Reye’s syndrome,” says Hopkins. If a fever is making you miserable (usually around 102 degrees or higher for adults), treat it. Follow the package directions for how often you can take these medications.

Uses: Drying up runny noses and postnasal drip, which can cause coughing A non-stop runny nose is no fun (and not pretty), so keep antihistamines in your medicine cabinet. “[Benadryl] may make you sleepy, but newer non-sedating medications such as loratadine (Claritin) are not as effective for nasal symptoms due to colds,” says Maria Marzella Mantione, Pharm.D., associate clinical professor at St. John’s University in Queens, New York. And avoid formulas that treat a laundry-list of symptoms. “Multi-symptom cold medications are not your best choice,” says Mantione. “You usually don’t have every symptom listed on the box and it’s never advisable to take medications you don’t need.”

Uses: Clearing a stuffy nose Decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) open up the nasal passages so you can breathe easier. It’s available in formulas that last for 4, 12 or 24 hours. You’ll get all-day relief from the 24-hour formula, but it may keep you awake. Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) tends to be less effective due to poor oral absorption, says Mantione, so use a nasal spray containing phenylephrine for better results. (Editor's note: Though you don’t need a prescription for pseudoephedrine, you have to ask for it at the pharmacy counter and show ID because it's a key ingredient used to make the street drug crystal meth).

Uses: Opens nasal passages so you can breathe Nose sprays containing oxymetazoline (Afrin) or phenylephrine hydrochloride (Neo-Synephrine) offer instant relief when you’re so stuffed up you can’t breathe. “Nasal sprays don’t have side effects such as drowsiness and they last overnight so you can sleep,” says Mantione. Don’t use it for more than a few days or you may experience a "rebound effect" that worsens your stuffiness.

Uses: To loosen chest congestion Guaifenisin (Mucinex) is an expectorant that thins and loosens mucus so you can cough it up. “If your cough is already loose and productive, you don’t need to take an expectorant,” says Mantione. “But if you feel like your chest is tight and congested, try it.” Look for medications that contain 1,200 milligrams (the most effective dose) and take twice a day, says Mantione.

Uses: To add moisture to the air so it’s less drying to your nose, mouth and throat The super-dry air in most homes in winter (usually from heaters) can dry out your nasal passages, making them the perfect breeding ground for a cold-causing virus. At night run a cool-mist humidifier in your bedroom, as well as your kids. Steam vaporizers are not recommended because the hot air can burn you. Empty and clean out your humidifier daily according to the manufacturer’s instruction to avoid the growth of mold and bacteria, advises Hopkins.

Uses: Food you can eat without upsetting your stomach Plain white crackers are good for munching on if you feel nauseated or have an upset stomach, says Hopkins. Other pantry foods that are easy to digest include broth, plain rice, white toast, plain noodles and applesauce.